"Guards, seize it!" Yuan Xinyou shouted twice.
But no guards appeared in the Imperial Garden.
The guards from before were from Consort Yuan's chambers and recognized Yuan Xinyou. Once she left the palace grounds, none of the Hidden Guards knew her. And even if they did, they wouldn't have intervened.
The palace's Hidden Guards answered only to the Imperial Family. A young lady from an official's family had no authority to command them.
As she waited in vain for guards to arrive, Yuan Xinyou's pale little face turned frighteningly dark. She took off after White Spirit herself.
'When I get my hands on it, I'll dice it into a thousand pieces.'
Her maid was too terrified to even breathe, but she didn't dare dawdle, scurrying after her.
White Spirit darted around the Imperial Garden a few times before sprinting toward the front palace. It was just the time when the morning court session was ending.
